Tuesday, June 7, 2016. Chaos and violence continue, war crimes in the
'liberation' of Falluja get attention from the United Nations, war
crimes in the 'liberation' of Falluja get spun by the US State Dept,
Moqtada al-Sadr's followers stage a big rally in Baghdad, the western
press ignores it, and much more.

The big news in Iraq today was the protest in Baghdad.

And you know it was huge because the western media refused to report on it.

ALSUMARIA reports that the demonstrators called for an end to corruption and demanded a government of technocrats, one free of political parties.

ALSUMARIA also notes
that Nouri's insulted the protesters in a Tweet and Moqtada has
responded by noting that Nouri was no agent of change and failed to make
a squeak as Iraq's resources were plundered by corruption.

Meanwhile AL MADA reports
that Moqtada has accused Mohammed al-Ghabban of implementing a foreign
agenda. al-Ghabban is the Minister of the Interior. al-Ghabban is a
Shi'ite politician who is part of Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law
coalition and who belongs to the political party for the Badr militia. IRAQ TIMES notes the statements and states they came following an arrest warrant being announced for Moqtada.

Parliament is currently out of session and not due to return until July.
An online poll at ALSUMARIA currently finds that only 24.8% expect
Parliament to convene a session before their scheduled return. (75.2%
vote there will be no emergency session.) This belief is in keeping
with statements made by MPs. For example, Sunday NATIONAL IRAQI NEWS AGENCY quoted
MP Diaa al-Asadi stating that the Ahrar bloc (Moqtada's bloc) would not
end its boycott of Parliament until a vote took place on a cabinet.

On what western media will report . . .

Maybe you caught AFP or IANS
or other outlets this week reporting on the over 400 corpses in a mass
grave in Saqlawiyah ("near Falluja") -- victims of the Islamic State.

The only problem?

Doesn't appear to have happened.

ALSUMARIA reports
that the Iraqi military's media branch announced today that there was
one corpse above ground and two buried and that the claims of 400 are
inaccurate. ALL IRAQ NEWS quotes
from the statement of the Joint Special Operations Command's media
division that following on-site research it's clear that there are no
mass graves."

Turning to the liberation -- or 'liberation' -- of the Sunni city of Falluja, AP reports
it has hit another speed bump due "to disagreements about battlefield
strategy among the disparate Iraqi forces fighting the Islamic State
group."

Meanwhile the Shi'ite militias -- now part of the armed forces thanks to Haider -- continue to persecute Sunni civilians.

ALSUMARIA offers
a video report of dead civilians -- civilians who fled threats of the
Islamic State in Falluja only to be shot by the militias after fleeing
Falluja. Today the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High
Commissioner issued the following statement:GENEVA
(7 June 2016) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al
Hussein on Tuesday urged the Iraqi Government to take immediate measures
to ensure that all people fleeing the ISIL-occupied city of Fallujah
are treated in strict accordance with international human rights and
international humanitarian laws.“There are extremely
distressing, credible reports that some people who survive the
terrifying experience of escaping from ISIL, then face severe physical
abuse once they reach the other side,” the High Commissioner said.
“Eyewitnesses have described how armed groups operating in support of
the Iraqi security forces are intercepting people fleeing the conflict,
separating the men and teenage boys from the women and children, and
detaining the males for ‘security screening’, which in some cases
degenerates into physical violations and other forms of abuse,
apparently in order to elicit forced confessions. There are even
allegations that some individuals have been summarily executed by these
armed groups.”“While the Iraqi security forces have a legitimate
interest in vetting individuals fleeing ISIL-controlled areas to ensure
they do not pose a risk to security or to identify individuals who may
have committed crimes, such vetting must only be carried out by entities
authorised to do so by Iraqi law. Where individuals are being held by
other armed groups not legally authorised to detain individuals, the
Government must ensure they are either handed over or released safely,”
Zeid stressed. “It is paramount that all individuals fleeing the
violence around Fallujah must be assumed to be civilians without links
to armed groups, unless there is clear and cogent evidence to the
contrary.”The High Commissioner added that the security vetting
must be carried out in a transparent manner, in full compliance with
international law. If there is substantive information that a particular
individual may have committed crimes or may constitute a security risk,
the person can be detained in compliance with the law, and the
detention must be subject to appropriate judicial review. “The
Prime Minister, and other political, community and religious leaders
have made very welcome statements, calling on all those involved in the
military operations to do their utmost to protect civilians in all
circumstances and to ensure accountability for any individuals
perpetrating violations. I urge the Government to take immediate,
concrete steps to ensure that these calls are translated into action,”
Zeid said. “The Government must show its commitment to
protecting civilians by fully investigating reports that people who have
suffered two and a half years of living hell under ISIL, and have faced
enormous difficulties and dangers getting out of Fallujah alive, are
now facing double jeopardy in the form of serious human rights
violations after they have escaped. Those allegedly responsible for
these violations must be brought to justice.”Since January 2014,
when Fallujah was captured by ISIL, at least 22,169 civilians have been
killed and 43,435 wounded in Iraq. These casualty figures are
considered an absolute minimum as they do not include Anbar Province,
where Fallujah is located, and also do not include people who died from
secondary effects of violence, such as lack of water, food, medicines or
health care.ENDSFor more information and media requests,please contact Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 97 67 / rcolville@ohchr.org) or Ravina Shamdasani (+41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org) or Cécile Pouilly (+41 22 917 9310 / cpouilly@ohchr.org )

ALSUMARIA reports that Speaker of Parliament Salim al-Jubouri has called for an end to these abuses in the name of 'liberation.'

When the issue was raised at today's US State Dept press briefing,
spokesperson Mark C. Toner attempted to dance around the issue.QUESTION: Going to Iraq --MR TONER: Yeah, sure.QUESTION: -- since we’re still talking about trying to fight
ISIL, among other things: Last week you talked about Fallujah. There are
more reports about Shia militiamen detaining Sunni men who are trying
to flee Fallujah, and there are more allegations that they’re being
abused, that they’re being tortured. Dozens is one rough estimate. Even
the UN high commissioner for refugees is saying – for human rights,
excuse me – is expressing concern about the situation, and he is also
expressing concern that the Abadi government isn’t doing enough to
restrain the Shia militia from carrying out sectarian attacks. One, what
is the U.S. assessment of the situation right now? What is the U.S.
Government saying to Prime Minister Abadi? What is the U.S. prepared to
do in order to basically keep the Shia militia away from Fallujah so
that people who are trying to escape the fighting can do so safely?MR TONER: Sure. Lots of very good questions, and obviously,
it’s a very difficult situation in and around Fallujah. The reports –
and we’ve seen these reports as well – are obviously concerning. We do
believe, though, that Prime Minister Abadi has made an effort to
investigate abuses of Iraqi civilians at the hands of Iraqi Security
Forces. I think he’s even pledged to form a committee or has created a
human rights committee to look at some of these abuses. We believe the
Government of Iraq has made an effort to avoid civilian casualties and
to hold accountable those in isolated cases of misconduct.Now, there have been – and we talked – I talked about this last
Friday – there have been efforts to screen citizens as they flee
Fallujah.QUESTION: Right.MR TONER: And I think – I’m looking at my thing – I think some
15,000 civilians have already fled the fighting in and around Fallujah
and have arrived and are safely being held at camps, and there have been
screening measures put in place, and we have talked about that.QUESTION: Right.MR TONER: And partly that’s common sense that [. . .] ISIL
isn’t using – trying to exfiltrate or get out of Fallujah, use it as an
escape route. So – but let’s be very clear that any kind of screening,
while justified, needs to be done in a manner that is respectful of
human rights and common dignity, and also done in a transparent manner.QUESTION: There’s already been a lot of talk, though --MR TONER: Please.QUESTION: -- about the fact that in the effort to liberate
these communities from ISIL, that the U.S. would not want to see Shia
militia going in because of the very fundamental symbolism that
represents. Is it appropriate for the Iraqi Government to rely on these
militia, the PMF, to do the screening? Should the Iraqi military be
using some of its own forces to do this screening? And should the Shia
militia even be allowed anywhere near Fallujah? Why can’t they be held
to barracks, to use an expression?MR TONER: Well, I would refer you to the Iraqi Government to
talk about the composition of forces in and around Fallujah and how
they’re being utilized. I think that given the scale and scope of this
operation, that they, frankly, need all the capable fighters that they
have. But of course we’re concerned about the sectarian tensions
inherent to the dynamic that you just raised. And again, we have raised
our concerns with the Iraqi Government, and they have also expressed a
clear understanding of that dynamic as well and an effort to avoid it.
The need – so if Shia militia are there, they are under the command and
control of the Iraqi military. And they --QUESTION: But then we hear about people being dragged away,
bodies being turned up, some people so badly injured that they’re now in
hospital trying to get medical treatment that may not be easily
attainable given that these are conditions of war. Here’s an alternative
suggestion: Perhaps the U.S. doesn’t want to have its own people
screening people leaving Fallujah, but there are other members of the
coalition. Is it possible to ask the Arab countries that are part of the
coalition to do the screening of people as they’re trying to leave
Fallujah?MR TONER: Well, again, those are all good points and good
questions better directed to the Iraqi Government. I would say that thus
far in Fallujah, fully recognizing that we have seen reports and we’ve
raised those reports on our concerns about them with the Iraqi
Government, but we have seen thus far an effort by Prime Minister Abadi
and his leadership to manage the offensive carefully, deliberately, with
respect to ordering safe passageways – and I talked about the 17,000
Fallujah residents who have gotten safe passage out of the city – and
made an effort to respect both property and the well-being of the
civilians.But again, as there are cases or allegations of these abuses – and
you cited some of them – the Iraqi Government has pledged to create a
committee to look at these allegations in cases, or rather incidents,
and follow up on them. And I think that that is absolutely commendable
and necessary.Please.QUESTION: Do you have confidence in this committee that they’re standing up?MR TONER: I think, again, we’ll wait and see. But they have
pledged to do so. Thus far, what we’ve seen largely from the Iraqi
Government has given us confidence that they are aware of these tensions
on the battlefield and are taking steps to mitigate them.Please.QUESTION: Did you confirm the reports by the UN human rights
commissioner today that he said he have credible reports about these
violations? Are you confirming his position?MR TONER: I have not seen those. I do note that we’ve seen
reports of violations and are concerned about them. I’m not speaking to
his – I have no idea what he said. I’m sorry, I don’t – I haven’t seen
his comments.QUESTION: He said they have – he have credible reports about very sad violations against civilians fleeing from Fallujah.

MR TONER: I mean, again, we’re aware of some of these reports and we’re concerned about them as well.

Toner hadn't seen the UN statement so he probably also missed photographs. Like these.

ALSUMARIA reports
KRG President Massoud Barzani has declared that a post-Islamic State
plan for Mosul is needed as is guaranteeing the rights of those
civilians in Mosul before any operation to liberate Mosul takes place.

Today, the US Defense Dept announced:

Strikes in IraqAttack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted
17 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s
government:-- Near Beiji, three strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical
units and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL mortar
system.-- Near Fallujah, four strikes struck two separate ISIL
tactical units and an ISIL vehicle bomb factory; destroyed three ISIL
fighting positions, an ISIL weapons cache, three ISIL heavy machine guns
and an ISIL front end loader; damaged an ISIL fighting position; and
denied ISIL access to terrain.-- Near Habbaniyah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.-- Near Haditha, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.-- Near Kisik, a strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and
destroyed five ISIL weapons caches, two ISIL bed-down locations and an
ISIL command and control node.-- Near Mosul, three strikes struck an ISIL oil tanker storage
area, an ISIL logistics facility and an ISIL vehicle bomb factory.-- Near Qayyarah, two strikes destroyed seven ISIL rocket rails.-- Near Rawah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.-- Near Sinjar, a strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic
events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a
single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a
single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle
is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons
against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for
example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or
impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not
report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number
of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual
munition impact points against a target.

In other violence, AFP adds that a Karbala car bombing left 3 people dead and thirty-three more injured.